LAPLACE TRANSFORMS

The Laplace Transform relates time functions to frequency-dependent functions of a complex variable. Laplace Transform method is used extensively to
facilitate and systematize the solution of linear constant-coefficient integrodifferential equations

DEFINITION OF THE LAPLACE TRANSFORM

The direct Laplace Transform of a function of time , f(t), is given mathematically as

L [𝑓(𝑡)] = ∫ 𝑓(𝑡)𝑒−𝑠𝑡 = 𝐹 𝑠()

0

Where

L [𝑓(𝑡)] is the shorthand notation for the Laplace Integral

TABLE OF LAPLACE TRANSFORM PAIRS

f(t) F(s)
𝑓(𝑡) = 1 𝟏
𝑭(𝒔) =
𝒔

𝑓(𝑡) = 𝑡 𝟏
𝑭(𝒔) =
𝒔𝟐
𝝎
𝑓(𝑡) = sin 𝜔𝑡 𝑭(𝒔) =
𝒔𝟐 + 𝝎𝟐
𝑓(𝑡) = cos 𝜔𝑡 𝒔
𝑭(𝒔) =
𝒔𝟐 + 𝝎𝟐
𝑓(𝑡) = 𝑒 𝑎𝑡 𝟏
𝑭(𝒔) =
𝒔− 𝒂
𝟏
𝑓(𝑡) = 𝑒 −𝑎𝑡 𝑭(𝒔) =
𝒔+ 𝒂
𝝎
𝑓(𝑡) = 𝑒 𝑎𝑡 sin 𝜔𝑡 𝑭(𝒔) =
(𝒔 − 𝒂)𝟐 + 𝝎𝟐

𝑓(𝑡) = 𝑒 −𝑎𝑡 sin 𝜔𝑡 𝝎

𝑭(𝒔) =
(𝒔 + 𝒂)𝟐 + 𝝎𝟐
𝑓(𝑡) = 𝑒 𝑎𝑡 cos 𝜔𝑡 𝒔−𝒂
𝑭(𝒔) =
(𝒔 − 𝒂)𝟐 + 𝝎𝟐
𝑓(𝑡) = 𝑒 −𝑎𝑡 cos 𝜔𝑡 𝒔+𝒂
𝑭(𝒔) =
(𝒔 + 𝒂)𝟐 + 𝝎𝟐
𝑓(𝑡) = 𝑡 2 𝟐
𝑭(𝒔) =
𝒔𝟑
𝑓(𝑡) = 𝑡 𝑛 𝒏!
𝑭(𝒔) =
𝒔𝒏+𝟏
 Examples: Find the Laplace Transform for each of the following functions:

1. L [𝑒4𝑡 ] 2. L [sin 2𝑡]

1
2. L [cos 2 𝑡] 4. L [𝑒−𝑡 sin 𝑡]
3. L [𝑒2𝑡 cos 3𝑡] 6. L [𝑡3 ]

LAPLACE TRANSFORM THEOREMS / PROPERTIES

1. LINEARITY – multiplication of a constant

L [𝒌𝒇(𝒕)] = 𝒌L [𝒇(𝒕)] = 𝒌 𝑭(𝒔)

Where k is a constant
Examples:

a. L [3 sin 2𝑡] 𝑏. L [ 4]
2. SUPERPOSITION – sum and difference of a number of functions

L [𝒇𝟏 (𝒕) ± 𝒇𝟐 𝒕 ( )] = L [𝒇𝟏 (𝒕)] ± L [𝒇𝟐 (𝒕)] = 𝑭𝟏 (𝒔) ()

± 𝑭𝟐 𝒔
Examples:

a. L [sin 2𝑡 + cos 2𝑡] b. L [1 − 𝑒

2𝑡
+ 𝑒
−𝑡
]
b. L [𝑐𝑜𝑠2 𝑡]
3. COMPLEX SHIFTING – multiplication by an exponential function

L [𝒆±𝒂𝒕 𝒇(𝒕)] = 𝑭 (𝒔 ∓ 𝒂)
Where a is a constant, F(s) = L [𝑓(𝑡)] and 𝐹 (𝑠 ∓ 𝑎) = 𝐹(𝑠) with s replaced by (𝑠 ∓ 𝑎)

Examples:

a. L [𝑒−2𝑡 sin 3𝑡] b. L [𝑡2 𝑒𝑡 ]

4. REAL DIFFERENTIATION
𝒅
L [ 𝒇 (𝒕) ] = 𝒔 𝑭(𝒔) − 𝒇(𝟎)
𝒅𝒕
Where 𝑭(𝒔) =L [𝑓(𝑡)] , 𝑓(0) = 𝑓(𝑡) at t=0 (initial value)
Examples:
𝑑
1. L [𝑑𝑡 cos 3𝑡]
 Nth derivative

𝒅𝒏
L [ ] = 𝒔𝒏 𝑭(𝒔) − 𝒔𝒏−𝟏 𝒇(𝟎) − 𝒔𝒏−𝟐 𝒇′ ′(𝟎) − 𝒔𝒏−𝟑 𝒇′ "(𝟎) − ⋯ − 𝒔𝟎 𝒇𝒏−𝟐 (𝟎)
𝒅𝒕𝒏
Examples:
3
𝑑
1. L [𝑑𝑡 3
]
sin 2𝑡
5. REAL INTEGRATION

𝒕
()
𝑭 𝒔
L [∫ 𝒇(𝒕)𝒅𝒕] =
𝟎
𝒔
𝑡
Example: L [∫0 𝑒2𝑡 𝑑𝑡]
6. MULTIPLICATION BY POWERS OF t

𝑛
𝑑
L [𝑡 𝑓(𝑡)] = (−1)
𝑛 𝑛
()
𝐹 𝑠
𝑑𝑠𝑛
Where n=1,2,3,…

Example: L [𝑡 sin 𝑡]
7. POWERS OF t
𝒏!
L [𝒕𝒏 ] =
𝒔𝒏+𝟏
Where n=1,2,3,…

Example: L [𝑡3 ]
INVERSE LAPLACE TRANSFORMS
Definition

If F(s) is the Laplace transform of f(t), then f(t) is the Inverse Laplace transform of F(s), which is denoted as

𝒇(𝒕) = L −𝟏[𝑭(𝒔)]
where L −𝟏 is called the Inverse Laplace Operator
Table of Inverse Laplace Transforms

F(s) f(t)
𝟏
1
𝑠

1 𝒕

𝑠2

1 𝒕𝒏−𝟏
𝑠𝑛 (𝒏 − 𝟏)!

1 𝒆±𝒂𝒕
𝑠∓𝑎
1 𝒆∓𝒂𝒕 𝒕
(𝑠 ± 𝑎)2
1 𝒆±𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒏−𝟏
(𝑠 ± 𝑎)𝑛 (𝒏 − 𝟏)!

𝜔 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝝎𝒕
𝑠2 + 𝜔2
𝑠 𝐜𝐨𝐬 𝝎𝒕
𝑠2 + 𝜔2
𝜔 𝒆∓𝒂𝒕 𝐬𝐢𝐧 𝝎𝒕
(𝑠 ± 𝑎)2 + 𝜔 2

(𝑠 ± 𝑎) 𝒆∓𝒂𝒕 𝐜𝐨𝐬 𝝎𝒕
(𝑠 ± 𝑎)2 + 𝜔 2

Examples:

−𝟏 𝟐 −𝟏 𝟑𝒔
1. L [𝒔+𝟑] 2. L [𝒔𝟐+𝟏𝟔]

𝟐𝒔 𝟐
−𝟏 −𝟏 𝟒𝒔 +𝟏𝟎𝒔+𝟐𝟎
3. L [(𝒔+𝟐)𝟐] 4. L [ 𝒔𝟑+𝟐𝒔𝟐+𝟓𝒔 ]
INTEGRO-DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS
- an equation that involves both integrals and derivatives of a function.
- Using the Laplace transform of integrals and derivatives, an integro-differential equation can be solved.
- Similarly, it is easier with the Laplace transform method to solve simultaneous differential equations by transforming both equations and
then solve the two equations in the s-domain and finally obtain the inverse to get the solution in the t-domain.

Examples: Determine the solution x(t) of the following:

𝑑2
1.
𝑑𝑡 2
𝑥(𝑡) + 4𝑥(𝑡) = 0 with x (0) = 3 and x’ (0) =2

𝑡 𝑑
2. 8 ∫0 𝑥(𝑡) 𝑑𝑡 + 𝑑𝑡
𝑥(𝑡) + 4𝑥(𝑡) = 0 with x (0) = 2

Reference:

Rainville and Bedient. (1996). Elementary Differential Equations. 8th Ed. Prentice Hall